we just can't win on the road, plain and simple. ever since tomlin took over we haven't been able to. unless something changes with that, we need to count on being the #1 or #2 seed to have a shot at a super bowl

Tomlin's teams are 68-27since he took over if my math is correct. Seems like that is an AWFUL lot of road wins to me. Utter nonsense saying he can't win on the road.

We're looking at 8-8 the way things are going. This 5 weeks stretch of games are brutal when we get back.

Philly will be tough, but that's at home and I'm not sold on them. At Tennessee is tough simply because it's a road game, but their defense is beyond awful and Locker is a young QB. At Cincy will be tough, but their two wins are close ones over Cleveland and Washington, so I'm not terribly impressed with them yet.

After that, home for Washington should be a win. Bad defense and rookie QB.

At the Giants, though, not looking forward to.

I think we can go 4-1, 3-2 over that stretch and sit at 5-3, 4-4 heading into the second half. Hopefully we have corrected our problems by then.

We need to be 8-6, 9-5 heading into the final two home games with Cincy and Cleveland. Get hot, healthy, and in the playoffs. That's the goal anymore. Just look at the two SBs the Giants have won recently. They weren't setting the league on fire all year by any stretch.

I'll give you Tomlin's record overall - I believe 24-19 in away games. That is a solid job. Out of those road wins over his career, he is 10-5 against division opponents on the road

anyone that can be over .500 on the road over the course of a career gets a nod from me

__________________MacReady: Beaver pics - don't think we're in much shape to do anything about this threadChilds: Well, what do we do?MacReady: Why don't we just . . .wait here and post for a little while longer . . . see what happens?

we just can't win on the road, plain and simple. ever since tomlin took over we haven't been able to. unless something changes with that, we need to count on being the #1 or #2 seed to have a shot at a super bowl

I think the Steelers are 1-9 in their last 10 games on the west coast? I know it's something along those lines.

The Steelers have been without three starters for some combination of the first three games. It's possible all three of them return after the Steelers' Week 4 bye, making it a perfect time for a week off.

Early bye weeks can be seen as disadvantageous.

After three weeks of the 2012 season, having Week 4 off is a good thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers took a tough 34-31 loss from the Raiders in hostile O.Co Coliseum Sunday, and the defeat was a character kind of game. It won't build it has much as it will reveal it.

And a week off for the team and the coaches to reflect upon what's been an up-and-down start to the year is just what they all need.

Some time to heal more injuries wouldn't hurt, either.

The face of this team will change at least a little bit with the possible returns of safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Harrison and running back Rashard Mendenhall. The face of the team will change a lot of these players are again to miss another game - Mendenhall and Harrison have missed all three and Polamalu has missed the last two.

Mendenhall should be expected to play. He was taken off the preseason PUP list and kept on the active roster as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery due to a torn ACL suffered at the end of the 2011 season. It seemed likely at the time the decision was made to keep him on the roster he'd be back after the Week 3 bye. Him being out any longer would beg the question of why he wasn't placed on the PUP list to start the year, taking advantage of an additional roster spot.

Harrison may be a little more iffy. He had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 15, and practiced before Pittsburgh's Week 1 game at Denver. His knee didn't respond well to the work, and he hasn't practiced since. Harrison, at 35, could be rested for the sake of keeping him fresh for the rest of the season, but sitting at 1-2, with two games in five days (Week 5 vs. Philadelphia, Week 6 Thursday night at Tennessee), and a sagging pass rush, the Steelers need him back as soon as he's able.

Polamalu injured his calf in Week 1, and has not practiced since. Polamalu has a history of injuries and with his increased age, it would seem sensible the Steelers would take all precautions to ensure Polamalu isn't rushed back on the field. But with a substandard performance by back-up S Ryan Mundy in Week 3, the sooner Polamalu could be back, the better.

It's difficult to gauge which direction the Steelers are heading without those players in the lineup. If it gets to the point any of them will miss significant time or even the entire season, we'd have a good idea of how the Steelers will be equipped for the remainder of the year.

Getting those players back would make the Steelers a more competitive team on both sides of the ball. But perhaps there will be a much clearer view of how this season will go if none of them are able to play in Week 5.

It has been nearly a week since the Pittsburgh Steelers blew the lead in Oakland, yet it still looks as ugly as ever when watching it again. While we keep searching for the silver lining in the game on defense, it is difficult to find one, and consequently, the panic has definitely set in.

Enough time has been spent identifying the weaknesses of the Steelers after week three of this young season, yet not much attention has been awarded to discussing what changes and improvements need to occur to turn around the season and navigate it in the direction of the playoffs.

Former head coach Bill Cowher was notorious for his mantra, “There is a fine line between winning and losing in the NFL,” and his words are definitely applicable to the Steelers in 2012. If the team can just shift a few areas into their favor, they can resume their winning ways.

Here are some potential adjustments, improvements that we may see over the next several weeks.

A Boost to the Running Game

While I never thought I would say it, I am anxiously anticipating the return on running back Rashard Mendenhall. Over the years, I have been critical of Mendenhall for “dancing” and tip-toeing near the hole, yet after watching Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer this year, the production that Mendenhall provided, while not awe-inspiring, was significantly better. During my game film study, there have been instances in which holes have opened up for the backs; however, either their lack of vision or quickness impedes them from hitting it, resulting in no gain or a loss. Additionally, there have been too many outside running plays and draws called for Redman which have failed miserably. While I am not expecting Mendenhall to be Superman in his first game back, I do expect him to invigorate the running game. If this can happen, imagine the time of possession on offense. This will only benefit the struggling defense. And maybe it is time for more carriers for Baron Batch who ran hard against Oakland and looked much better than Redman or Dwyer.

The Return of Saunders

Mark Kaboly of the Tribune Review wrote about how the return of Weslye Saunders would help boost the running game, as Leonard Pope has been inconsistent. Yet another factor to consider is the additional receiving threat that he will provide to this offense. As an athletic tight end, Saunders will create matchup problems for defenses and give Ben Roethlisberger another weapon, making the Steelers offense even better.

Rainey Will Finally Settle In

While Chris Rainey has yet to make a big play in the regular season, it is just a matter of time. The rookie demonstrated several times in the preseason his explosiveness and ability to score from anywhere on the field. As he grows more comfortable in the offense and with the speed of the game, he will become a factor not only on offense, but also on special teams. The spark that his big plays could provide will be huge in swinging momentum for the Steelers as the season wears on.

The Offensive Line Will Improve

The longer this group plays together and grows comfortable with the scheme, they will get better. And while it is a long ways off, the return of David DeCastro will upgrade the guard play, especially in the pulling game. Also, overlooked last week was the effective pass protection. While it wasn’t perfect, Ben was not sacked until late in the game.

Polamalu Will Return

While not what he used to be, Troy Polamalu is light years better than what Ryan Mundy brings to the defense. And it is no secret the step that the defense takes back whenever Troy is out of the lineup. His return to the defense will help solidify a run defense that has struggled.

Dick LeBeau Doesn’t Have Blinders On

Check out LeBeau’s comments after the Raiders game: "Generally speaking, I usually say: 'You dumb ass, why did you call that defense?' But we're not where we want to be. In this business you're never as good as you think you are…." While critics have piled on LeBeau after the loss to the Raiders, this is a Hall of Fame, two time Super Bowl winning defensive coordinator that is in charge here. If anything, LeBeau knows that his defense is playing below the line, and he will make the necessary adjustments to improve. The offense did not help the defense with the turnovers last week giving up a short field, and the same can be said about the return teams. It’s not like the defense has given up a ton of yards, they have just not made plays. If anybody can rectify this situation it is LeBeau. And if you don’t believe so, go back to 2005 when the Steelers gave up 38 points to the Bengals in a loss that took their record to 7-5. What happened after that game? The Steelers won seven straight, including the Super Bowl.

A Tweak to Timmons’ Game

If you have access to the first three games of the season, go back and watch Lawrence Timmons. What you will see is a supposedly “explosive” player who looks like he is going three-quarters speed. When he engages blockers or comes on a blitz, his momentum is immediately absorbed and stifled. Additionally, he appears a step behind the play, and when he is in position to make a play, he misses the tackle. I refuse to believe that Timmons is not an effective player because we have seen it in 2008, 2009, and 2010. However, something it amiss, and it dates back to last season. While fellow middle backer Larry Foote is older than Timmons, he plays fast and aggressive to the ball, and he makes Timmons look like he is running in sand. Something is not right here, whether it is scheme, conditioning, or lack of desire. Whatever it is, it is undeniable, and Timmons must tweak his game to help the interior of the defense.

More of an Attack Mentality on Defense

Foote, Ryan Clark, and LaMarr Woodley appear to be the only players on the defense that are playing physically and are playing with intensity. Like Timmons, the defensive line, Chris Carter, Jason Worilds, Ike Taylor, and Keenan Lewis seem to be playing passively instead of aggressively. When you are out-powered by Carson Palmer and company, it is a problem. A player like Woodley or Clark needs to call out this defense for their paddy-cake play and remind them that they are wearing a black and gold uniform. Even if the personnel cannot make plays, they should at least look like they are making an admirable effort on the field.

we just can't win on the road, plain and simple. ever since tomlin took over we haven't been able to. unless something changes with that, we need to count on being the #1 or #2 seed to have a shot at a super bowl

We're not winning out West. "The road" isn't exactly the problem; three time zones is.